Effect of long-term physical exercise of peripheral nerve: comparison of nerve conduction study and ultrasonography.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of long-term physical exercise on peripheral nerve using both nerve conduction study (NCS) and ultrasonography (US). METHODS: The authors measured nerve conduction study and ultrasonography in 15 male (mean, 20±1.5 years) handball players and 13 male (mean, 21.3±1.9 years) control subjects. Cross-sectional area of the median nerve was evaluated using ultrasonography at the carpal tunnel and 6 cm proximal to the wrist, and the ulnar nerve at 6 cm proximal to the wrist crease, 2 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle, the epicondyle, and 2 cm distal to epicondyle. RESULTS: US shows significantly increased cross-sectional area of both median and ulnar nerve in the players compared with that in the controls, and the latency times in both nerves were significantly delayed in the players compared with that in the controls. Cross-sectional area of the median nerve showed a significant correlation with latency (r=0.330, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the players have a tendency toward having both median and ulnar motor nerve damage in the wrist or elbow region although they are asymptomatic.

Improvement in enzyme activity and stability by addition of low molecular weight polyethylene glycol to sodium bis(2-ethyl-L-hexyl)sulfosuccinate/isooctane reverse micellar system.

The activity and stability of Chromobacterium viscosum lipase (glycerolester hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3)-catalyzed olive oil hydrolysis in sodium bis (2-ethyl-l-hexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT)/isooctane reverse micelles is increased appreciably when low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) is added to the reverse micelles. To understand the effect of PEG 400 on the phase behavior of the reverse micellar system, the phase diagram of AOT/ PEG 400/water/isooctane system was studied. The influences of relevant parameters on the catalytic activity in AOT/PEG 400 reverse micelles were investigated and compared with the results in the simple AOT reverse micelles. In the presence of PEG 400, the linear decreasing trend of the lipase activity with AOT concentration, which is observed in the simple AOT reverse micelles, disappeared. Enzyme entrapped in AOT/PEG reverse micelles was very stable, retaining >75% of its initial activity after 60 d, whereas the half-life in simple AOT reverse micelles was 38 d. The kinetics parameter maximum velocity (Vmax) exhibiting the temperature dependence and the activation energy obtained by Arrhenius plot was suppressed significantly by the addition of PEG 400.

Antithrombogenicity of polyacrylonitrile-polyethyleneoxide hollow fiber membrane developed for designing an antithrombogenic continuous ultrafiltration system.

To develop a continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) system, which does not need systemic anticoagulation, for patients of acute renal failure having bleeding tendencies, a totally antithrombogenic continuous ultrafiltration system (ACUS) was designed, which consists of an antithrombogenic polyacrylonitrile-polyethyleneoxide (PAN-PEO) hollow fiber membrane and ionically heparin-bound catheter, tubing, and module header. Antithrombogenicity of PAN-PEO membrane, which occupies more than 90% of total inner surface area of ACUS, was considered to be due to highly concentrated PEO near the inner surface of the membrane and the finely dispersed (less than 500 A) microstructure of the inner surface. ACUS was applied to 24 patients without systemic anticoagulation, and one filter worked for an average of 32 h without deteriorating their bleeding tendencies. Any significant changes in major parameters of biocompatibility during those treatments were not observed. More than 200 ml/h of ultrafiltrate was obtained even under very low mean blood pressure, less than 70 mm Hg. Based upon these results, ACUS was concluded to be suitable for mild and sustained treatment to control fluid and electrolyte balance in patients of acute renal failure with bleeding complications.

Distribution of grifolan NMF-5N (I/B), a chemically modified antitumor beta-glucan in mice.

The distribution of a 3H-labeled chemically modified antitumor beta-glucan, grifolan NMF-5N (I/B), in various tissues after an injection into mice was examined in order to obtain information on distribution of the parent antitumor beta-glucan, grifolan NMF-5N. Grifolan NMF-5N was treated with sodium metaperiodate and sodium borotritide to obtain tritium-labeled grifolan NMF-5N [3H-grifolan (I/B)]. When 3H-grifolan (I/B) was administered into normal mice by intraperitoneal (i.p.) or intravenous (i.v.) injection, radioactivity was detected in various mouse tissues. Next, 3H-grifolan (I/B) was injected into tumor-bearing mice 7 d after the tumor inoculation, which is the most effective administration timing for the antitumor effect of grifolan NMF-5N. The results indicated a strong radioactivity in spleens and tumor masses. These results suggested a close relationship between the antitumor activity and the distribution of grifolan NMF-5N in mice.

Host-mediated antitumor effect of grifolan NMF-5N, a polysaccharide obtained from Grifola frondosa.

The antitumor mechanism of grifolan NMF-5N, a beta-1,3-glucan obtained from mycelia of Grifola frondosa, was examined. Grifolan NMF-5N did not show direct cytocidal effect on cultured tumor cells. However, intraperitoneal injection of grifolan NMF-5N increased the number of peritoneal exudate cells and peritoneal adherent cells which showed cytostatic activity towards syngeneic tumor cells. In an in vivo assay, the administration of carrageenan, an inhibitor of macrophage function, reduced the antitumor activity of grifolan NMF-5N. The delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction was augmented in the grifolan NMF-5N-administered mice. The administration of NMF-5N augmented the induction of cytotoxic T cells but the antitumor activity of grifolan NMF-5N was reduced in athymic nu/nu mice. In addition, the treatment with anti-Thy 1,2 antibody and complement C' of spleen cells taken from mice which showed regression of tumor due to grifolan NMF-5N, reduced the neutralizing effect in Winn assay. These results suggested that grifolan NMF-5N shows antitumor activity via host-mediated mechanisms and both macrophages and T cells play important roles in the mechanisms.

Antitumor effect of polysaccharide grifolan NMF-5N on syngeneic tumor in mice.

Antitumor activity of grifolan NMF-5N, a beta-1,3-glucan obtained from mycelia of Grifola frondosa, was examined. Grifolan NMF-5N showed antitumor activities in allogeneic and syngeneic murine tumor systems. In the allogeneic tumor system, a potent antitumor activity over 95% was observed against the solid form of sarcoma 180 when grifolan NMF-5N was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 25-200 micrograms/mouse daily for 10 successive days. In the syngeneic tumor systems, significant antitumor activities were observed against Meth A fibrosarcoma and MM 46 carcinoma by injection at 100 micrograms/mouse daily for 5 successive days, especially i.p. injection at day 7-11, when the tumor cells were inoculated subcutaneously (s.c.) on day 0. Moreover, when grifolan NMF-5N was injected i.p. every other week, significant antitumor activity was also observed. In addition, a single treatment with grifolan NMF-5N at 500 micrograms/mouse showed antitumor activities. Grifolan NMF-5N exhibited antitumor activities against these two syngeneic tumors by intraveneous (i.v.) injection. However, a marked inhibitory activity was observed by intratumorous (i.t.) injection against Meth A fibrosarcoma but not against MM46 carcinoma. These results suggest that antitumor activities of grifolan NMF-5N in murine syngeneic tumor systems depend on not only dosage but also injection routes and timing.